According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, there are about eight million job openings in America but only 6.8 million unemployed workers. Additionally, only 29% of employees plan to switch companies this year, a 5% decrease from 2024.
While this is fantastic news for the U.S. workforce, businesses wanting to land high-quality candidates must embrace innovative ways to source and attract top talent. Luckily, geofencing for recruiting provides the ideal solution.
A geofencing recruitment strategy uses GPS or RFID technology to establish a virtual boundary around a specific geographic area. Think of it like an invisible fence for a dog that only extends to the borders of your backyard. But instead of getting zapped in the neck when entering or exiting this boundary, candidates trigger a response, such as receiving a notification or being tracked.
The geofencing market will be worth $3,551.49 million by 2031, and this technology is already being used across various industries for marketing purposes. Still, its potential in recruitment is only now gaining traction.
Geofencing is incredibly effective at targeting local candidates that meet specific requirements. A prospect within an employer’s geofencing parameters can be sent hyper-localized marketing content across multiple platforms, even after leaving.
This tactic opens up a new world of marketing possibilities for recruiters, enhancing candidate targeting, fostering real-time engagement, and providing deeper insights through data.
How Geofencing for Recruiting Works
Geofencing in recruitment relies on location-based technology to engage candidates within a defined geographic area. For instance, you could create a geofence around a college campus or convention center hosting a job fair. You can then effectively reach students or attendees, driving more applications. You can also use geofencing around your competition’s workplaces. This works best for a large staff, like healthcare or operation centers.
The process involves setting up a digital perimeter around a location of interest, and when job seekers enter that perimeter, they can receive targeted job alerts, event invitations, or other recruitment-related notifications.
Here’s how geolocation in HR works:
Setting Up the Geofence: Using geofencing software, a recruitment agency or employer sets up a virtual boundary around a specific location. This could include office locations, job fairs, conferences, or even areas where large groups of potential candidates are likely to congregate, such as universities or co-working spaces.
Triggering the Notification: Once a candidate enters the geofenced area, their mobile device can trigger a notification or alert from the employer or recruitment agency. This could include information about job openings, invitations to apply, or a reminder about an upcoming recruitment event.
Engaging with the Candidate: After receiving the notification, the candidate can interact with the recruitment platform, apply for a position, or RSVP to an event. This engagement can happen in real-time, increasing the chances of candidates taking immediate action.
The beauty of geofencing lies in its ability to deliver hyper-targeted recruitment messages to individuals at the right place and time. By leveraging location-based data, recruitment campaigns can be personalized and contextual, ensuring job seekers receive the most relevant information based on where they are.
Top Benefits of Geofencing for Talent Acquisition
Geofencing recruiting has many valuable benefits, including:
Enhanced Candidate Targeting: Geofencing enables recruitment campaigns to target candidates based on their physical location. By focusing on areas where potential candidates are likely to be, employers can more effectively reach out to individuals actively seeking new opportunities. This puts an end to casting a wide net only to catch guppies. With geofencing, you can swiftly spear the biggest fish.
Real-Time Engagement: When candidates enter a geofenced area, they can receive immediate notifications about job openings, upcoming interviews, or recruitment events. This immediacy can drive higher levels of engagement and interest.
Increased Response Rates: Location-based recruiting has been shown to boost candidate response rates after they’ve received ads on their mobile devices. And since geofencing technology captures data from candidates’ smartphones, they will continue seeing ads even after they’ve left the boundaries.
Cost-Effective Advertising: Geofencing allows employers to target specific geographic areas, ensuring their budget is spent more efficiently.
Better Data and Analytics: Geofencing provides recruitment teams with valuable data on candidate behavior, such as how many people entered the geofenced area, how many interacted with the notifications, and which messages were most effective. This data can refine future recruitment campaigns and improve overall strategy.
However, as with all things, geofencing comes with its unique drawbacks. Some candidates may find it creepy or be concerned about their data being collected. The advertisement overload can turn others off. Employers must use geofencing in an ethical, responsible manner to not cause frustration or mistrust.
Industries Leveraging Geofencing for Recruitment
While geofencing is still a relatively new concept in recruitment, several industries are already capitalizing on its potential to attract top talent. Some of the most notable sectors leveraging geofencing for recruitment include:
Technology: The tech industry is known for its fierce competition for top talent. Companies in this space use geofencing to target candidates at tech events, conferences, and hackathons. By engaging potential hires during these events, companies can make timely connections and recruit talent before competitors have a chance.
Retail: Retail businesses often have high turnover rates and are always looking for new candidates to fill positions. Geofencing helps retail companies target potential employees who are already close to a store or shopping center, allowing them to promote job openings and seasonal roles.
Healthcare: Hospitals and providers use geofencing to target candidates attending medical conferences, job fairs, and local educational institutions. By reaching out to professionals in the healthcare field while they are at these events, organizations can build relationships with potential employees and expedite the hiring process.
Education: Educational institutions can use geofencing to recruit teachers, administrators, or support staff by targeting job fairs, campus events, and nearby universities. This ensures that they are connecting with the best talent in the field.
Tips for Successful Geofencing Campaigns
To make the most out of geofencing in recruitment, consider these best practices:
Know Your Audience: Hyper-targeted recruitment campaigns are only effective if you truly understand your audience. Learn about your ideal candidates’ interests and career objectives. You should also know their favorite watering holes and how to best position your business as the employer of choice for them.
Craft Clear, Engaging Messages: Ensure your messages to candidates are clear, concise, and actionable. Include calls-to-action (CTAs), such as “Apply Now” or “Visit Our Booth.” Additionally, you must create a sense of urgency for immediate results. While you should never be aggressive or pushy, ensure your CTAs emphasize an application deadline or show the value of joining your company.
Test and Optimize: Continuously monitor the performance of your geofencing campaigns and adjust your targeting, messaging, and budget as needed.
Respect Privacy: Always be transparent about how you use location data and ensure that your campaigns comply with relevant privacy regulations, such as GDPR.
Attract and Obtain Quality Candidates in Your Community with Geofencing for Recruiting
With the increasing reliance on mobile devices and location-based services, geofencing will continue to play a pivotal role in helping companies engage with potential talent more effectively and efficiently.
Geofencing can revolutionize recruitment by allowing recruiters to target specific locations, send real-time notifications, and deliver personalized messages. As the technology evolves, more sophisticated and data-driven strategies will emerge, further enhancing how employers connect with top talent.
Need help getting started with geofencing and mobile recruiting tools? Contact ProIQ today to learn how our geofencing can take your hiring processes to the next level.
